By Zach Shen, Band ’16, Undergraduate Chairman

The most difficult part of being a Wigger is explaining what Mask and Wig is to an outsider. I usually like to tell people, “We’re a fraternity that actually does something.” And truthfully, I think it’s this shared goal – creating and working on a huge musical production – that brings us closer together than any fraternity could every hope to be. In high school, I was the leader of a variety of clubs, but had never put any extra thought or effort into helping these organizations grow. But when I joined Mask and Wig as a New Guy Clubbie Chairman, I was blown away by the hard work and loyalty that everyone exhibited. Over the past three years, Wig has taught me about responsibility and leadership. Through various challenges, it has shown me how to truly dedicate myself to a mission, and it has provided me with a huge, diverse family that always has my back. As Chairman, my main goal is to create a safe space for New Guys to start their college careers. I want them to enjoy every single moment of Wig so that they will, without hesitation, come back next year and continue to push the company forward.

So far, the 128th Undergraduate Company has had quite the year. We started off the year with the smoothest, most relaxed Fall Show preparation process in recent history, thanks to all the work we were able to complete over the summer. From there, we proceeded to break all program ad sale records and sell out five out of seven shows. Additionally, we debuted a new paperless ticketing system that led to increased ticket sales and a more efficient check-in process. Other highlights include putting on a wildly popular Kick Off Bash band party with SAE and organizing a successful Charity Ball to raise over $4100 for Walking for Wendy and the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. While all these accomplishments are very tangible, none of them would be possible without a motivated and cohesive company. Throughout the semester, I’ve been impressed with how willing everyone has been to make personal sacrifices in order to reach our goals, how forward-thinking everyone is, and how tight we’ve become as a brotherhood. This is, without a doubt, the closest and most hard-working company I’ve seen in my four years.

This year’s Annual Production is titled Flight Club and I cannot wait to see how the company will continue to grow throughout the run. The spring semester is when the New Guys finally spend enough time in the Clubhouse to call it their home. We embark on a 10-day cross-country tour, which always leaves us with hangovers, injuries, and good memories. And who can forget about NGR, which stands for [REDACTED]. This is a time for people to immerse themselves within Mask and Wig’s illustrious history. It’s when people truly realize that they want to add to this 128-year legacy.

While I’m getting ready to take on the last leg of this incredible journey, I’m confident that Mask and Wig will continue to grow and thrive as this next generation takes the group to new heights. I just hope they do it with a huge smile on their faces. After all, we are a comedy troupe.

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